REGIONAL YEAR IN REVIEW OFFICE FOR LATIN AMERICA AND THE CARIBBEAN 2019 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS This publication was produced by the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) Regional Office for Latin America and the Caribbean (ROLAC). This publication seeks to provide a comprehensive review of OCHA ROLAC’s actions in responding to the various humanitarian crises present in Latin America and the Caribbean during 2019, as well as actions undertaken with humanitarian partners to build a better-coordinated humanitarian community in the region. The figures used throughout this publication are from public reports available at the time of publication. They are not conclusive and are meant to be indicative of the overall scope of the various humanitarian scenarios in Latin America and the Caribbean during 2019. The designations employed and the presentation of material in the report do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of the Secretariat of the United Nations concerning the legal status of any country, territory, city or area or of its authorities, or concerning the delimitation of its frontiers or boundaries. Front cover Growing humanitarian needs across Venezuela, including vulnerable communities in Táchira, led to a scaled-up humanitarian response in 2019. OCHA ROLAC’s contributions to this scale-up effort were instrumental in building preparedness, establishing formal coordination structures and opening field coordination hubs and securing emergency humanitarian financing to faciliate coordinated assistance for vulnerable populations in Venezuela. Photo: OCHA/Gema Cortés FOREWORD Taking stock of what 2019 meant for the United Nations Office for the meet the coordination needs required to effectively take a response Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) Regional Office for Latin from planning into the field. America and the Caribbean (ROLAC) requires looking back at previous As one decade closes, we must draw on our ability to adapt and years and looking ahead to what the future may hold for our region. position ourselves to become even more agile and better prepared to Our presence and our work are a function of the region’s realities. Latin provide core readiness and response support wherever and whenever America and the Caribbean is the world’s second most disaster-prone it is needed in the decade to come. We are undertaking significant region - recurring climate-related phenomena such floods, droughts changes to our structure and footprint in the region to ensure this. and hurricanes have long shaped regional preparedness, advocacy, At the centre of these changes is OCHA ROLAC’s everlasting policy and partnership priorities and efforts with Member States and commitment to people in need of humanitarian assistance. Like us, the international and national partners. people of Latin America and the Caribbean also experienced rapidly Latin America and the Caribbean is also home to more than eight shifting circumstances and conditions in 2019 - several countries saw million displaced people, people on the move within and across borders people making their voices heard in pursuit of improved conditions, for different reasons and in different contexts. giving way to significant social changes and shifts in regional dynamics. Some of these scenarios, such as the displacement in Central America, have their roots in the longstanding deterioration of social and No matter what changes may take place, OCHA ROLAC will always economic conditions and increasing chronic violence. Others, like the work to provide timely and effective humanitarian coordination in current flight of millions of Venezuelans to host countries in the region, response to crises in Latin America and the Caribbean. Working with are unfolding at an unprecedented scale. national and international partners to strengthen operational readiness and response coordination is at the heart of what OCHA ROLAC does Other situations are more protracted and require engaging in both and what OCHA ROLAC is. collaborative response and prevention measures, such as food insecurity in the north of Central America exacerbated by inequality and OCHA ROLAC’s continued work is made possible thanks to the support chronic non-conventional violence. of our partners. Our appreciation for their ongoing commitment to help us improve through generous financial and material support, engaging The growing humanitarian challenges posed by these wide-ranging in joint deployments and providing us with constructive feedback issues have prompted OCHA ROLAC to take on a more active role in cannot be overstated. multi-stakeholder processes that seek to address both the root causes and the consequences of humanitarian crises in our region. As ever, we thank you for your continued support. Looking forward, we must recognize that the evolution of the humanitarian landscape is creating profound changes for humanitarian organizations, changes that are spurring critical reassessments of regional priorities, approaches, relationships and financing. Our ability to successfully meet these challenges goes only as far as our ability to adapt will take us. Rein A. Paulsen Whether the situation is old, new, sudden or protracted, OCHA ROLAC Head of Office can count on 16 years of hard-won experience and relationships to Regional Office for Latin America & the Caribbean 2019 YEAR IN REVIEW 4 LATIN AMERICA & THE CARIBBEAN Latin America & the Caribbean OCHA Presence & Staffing in 2019 OCHA ROLAC OCHA ROLAC STAFF WORKING Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs ACROSS THE REGION Regional Office for Latin America and the Caribbean 32 By location: Mexico Honuas H 22 10 Guaela Regional Office HAT E Salvador PANAMA Veeue By gender: C Euador 14 14 Male Female *4 vacancies to be filled Peu By country status: Bolivia 25 7 National Staff International Staff By function: 1 Regional Office - ROLAC (Panama) 13 9 7 3 Coordination Information Management 7 Humanitarian Advisory Teams (HAT) - Administration Senior Management Bolivia, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras Mexico and Peru 21 18 12 OCHA OCHA OCHA 3 Country Offices - OCHA has offices in VENEZUELA COLOMBIA HAITI Colombia, Haiti and Venezuela working STAFF STAFF STAFF in specific humanitarian contexts. OCHA ROLAC, operating out of Panama City, Panama, has 32 staff Honduras, El Salvador, Ecuador, Peru and Bolivia via Humanitarian located across eight countries to provide flexible and agile support Advisory Teams (HATs) embedded in the UN Resident Coordinator’s and surge capacity across the region and mobilize staff as needed to Offices. support preparedness and response. The HAT presence, typically comprised of National Disaster Response OCHA ROLAC covers 42 countries and territories in Latin America Advisors (NDRAs) and supported in some cases by co-located and the Caribbean and supports OCHA country offices in Colombia, Information Assistants, allows for localized readiness, response Haiti and Venezuela. In addition to its presence in Panama, the OCHA capacity and maintenance of strategic operational partnerships at the regional team maintains an expert presence in Mexico, Guatemala, country level. 5 Table of Contents P. 6 Response & Surge P. 30 Operational Readiness P. 10 Venezuela: Scaling up response P. 30 UNDAC & INSARAG P. 12 Venezuelan Refugees & Migrants: Regional P. 31 Caribbean: Strengthening regional coordination response support P. 32 Central America: Preparedness in complex crises P. 14 Bahamas: Hurricane Dorian response P. 33 South America: Building a better response P. 18 Central America: Responding to complex needs P. 34 Information & Advocacy P. 20 Cuba: Tornado response P. 36 Guide for Governments: International P. 21 Bolivia: Wildfires response Humanitarian Action P. 22 OCHA Colombia: Overview P. 38 Gender: Humanitarian Action & Protection against Sexual Exploitation and Abuse P. 23 OCHA Haiti: Overview P. 39 World Humanitarian Day 2019: Celebrating P. 24 Humanitarian Financing Women Humanitarians P. 26 Coordination P. 40 Donors in 2019 P. 28 REDLAC P. 41 Abbreviations & Acronyms P. 29 MIAH IX P. 42 End Notes 2019 YEAR IN REVIEW 6 LATIN AMERICA & THE CARIBBEAN RESPONSE & SURGE Regional Humanitarian Snapshot 2019 ABACO, BAHAMAS Hurricane Dorian caused mass destruction across Abaco in September 2019, leaving many in need of critical humanitarian assistance. Photo: OCHA/Christophe Illemassene 4.4M* 3.7M $1.09B PEOPLE REPORTED AFFECTED BY VENEZUELAN MIGRANTS & REFUGEES IN HUMANITARIAN FINANCING HAZARDS AND DISASTERS IN 2019 IN THE REGION BY DECEMBER 20191 REQUIRED FOR RESPONSE IN 20192 *Information sourced from reports available Venezuelans on the move across Latin America With the growing scale and scope of crises in on ReliefWeb at the time of this publication - and the Caribbean face numerous risks and the region, humanitarian financing requirements comprehensive year-end disaster reports are discrimination and often rely on humanitarian nearly doubled in 2019 compared to the 2018 published mid-year. The actual number will likely aid for access to health services and other needs total requirements of $608 million requested, be higher upon official publication. while on their journey or in host countries. reflecting the escalating needs across the region. RESPONSE & SURGE 7 Hazards & Disasters (2000-2019)3 M M M Scan QR code to access 2 1.7 2.6 Natural Disasters in Latin YEARLY AVERAGE OF YEARLY AVERAGE OF YEARLY AVERAGE OF America and the Caribbean PEOPLE AFFECTED BY PEOPLE AFFECTED